International Conference on "Media and Politics: Discourses, Cultures, and Practices"

Media and politics have always been interconnected. On the one hand, the media represent a channel through which the promotion and discussion of policies is effected and various representations of power and ideology are conveyed. On the other hand, the media play an important political role of their own, but are at the same time subject to political choices that have an impact on their editorial line. In some contexts, their influence on public opinion also has an mportant political weight. The connection between mass media and politics, which at times affects the selection of news and the way it is produced, can be identified in discourse choices, the use of specific textual genres,representations with a cultural connotation, and also in the practical work of journalists and the reactions of the target public. Moreover, this connection can take various shapes, according to the political framework, the geographical location, and the linguistic, social, and cultural contexts in which it is expressed. Finally, the channels used for communication can in some ways influence the political value of the message being delivered. In light of this premise, the relationship between media and politics can thus be analysed on distinct levels and from a variety of methodological perspectives. Adopting an intercultural and interdisciplinary approach, the conference seeks to explore the many facets of the relationship between various means of communication (print media, television, and Internet) and politics, through contributions covering its discursive, cultural, and professional aspects, and regarding diverse media contexts, such as Asia, America, Europe, and the Arabic World.